Essendon High marks a milestone

ESSENDON High School is celebrating its centenary by turning the clock back to its decorated past.

Now part of Essendon-Keilor College, the school has planned a series of events to mark the milestone, including a cocktail party at Flemington racecourse and an open day featuring displays of memorabilia.

It’s a school noted for producing football talent, so celebrations will also involve a panel of former AFL players, including Barry Capuano, Barry Davis, Ken Fraser and current director of football and former Footscray player Nick Bruton — selecting a team of the century from more than 50 VFL/AFL players.

Those under consideration include Tim Watson and current players such as Brock McLean and Lynden Dunn.

A key event will be a play titled High School, My School, to be performed by current and ex-students at the Clocktower Centre in Moonee Ponds. It will be directed by former student Julie Clark, who wrote it with another teacher, Faye Miller, for the 75th anniversary in 1988. She’s now updated it.

The play uses images from the school’s archives, including several of past student William Green’s (WEG) cartoons which he drew for the 1988 production.

The cartoons focus on humorous events throughout the school’s long history.

Back in the day, students who attempted to write with their left hand were severely chastised as it was regarded as a sign of the devil.

After World War II, the school, along with many across the state, raised funds for the Children’s Hospital in the form of an ‘egg appeal’, with piles of eggs being stored in the quadrangle.

Another WEG cartoon shows a number of students who sneaked out of the school to greet the Beatles when they arrived at Essendon Airport.
Source: Moonee Valley Weekly